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Best Local Restaurant
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Pompette

Oxfordshire, Oxford - French - Restaurant - £££

Neighbourhood French fancy in Summertown

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Very Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

A little slice of French bonhomie in north Oxford, Pompette is not only a godsend for Summertown locals, but also draws in diners who are prepared to undertake a long trip to sample its wares. With its walls emblazoned with artwork, a gorgeous summertime terrace and professional but personable staff, no wonder it is reckoned to be ‘a real gem’. And that’s before we get to the food. Chef/co-owner Pascal Wiedemann spent 14 years shaking the pans in big-name London kitchens (from Racine and Terroirs to Six Portland Road), before bringing his vision of bourgeois French cuisine to the city of dreaming spires.  His menu is entrenched in the classics (with the odd European detour) and everything is crafted with ‘care, passion and precision’. Lyonnaise ‘cervelle de canut’ cheese dip, soupe de poissons, chalk stream trout with horseradish beurre blanc and onglet steaks share the billing with houmous, sumac and flatbread, cavatelli with datterini t...

A little slice of French bonhomie in north Oxford, Pompette is not only a godsend for Summertown locals, but also draws in diners who are prepared to undertake a long trip to sample its wares. With its walls emblazoned with artwork, a gorgeous summertime terrace and professional but personable staff, no wonder it is reckoned to be ‘a real gem’. And that’s before we get to the food. Chef/co-owner Pascal Wiedemann spent 14 years shaking the pans in big-name London kitchens (from Racine and Terroirs to Six Portland Road), before bringing his vision of bourgeois French cuisine to the city of dreaming spires. 

His menu is entrenched in the classics (with the odd European detour) and everything is crafted with ‘care, passion and precision’. Lyonnaise ‘cervelle de canut’ cheese dip, soupe de poissons, chalk stream trout with horseradish beurre blanc and onglet steaks share the billing with houmous, sumac and flatbread, cavatelli with datterini tomatoes and pecorino or charred cauliflower with pops of pomegranate and pistachio. French farmhouse cheeses, île flottante, Basque cheesecake and canelés de Bordeaux with salted rum caramel (Friday and Saturday nights only) round off a simple but satisfying offer. 

Alternatively, drop by for authentic French saucisse frites on Tuesday, poulet frites on Wednesday or steak frites on Thursday night, if you prefer; they even do a proper petit-déjeuner from 10am as well as a regular apero hour (5-6pm, Tue-Sat). Pompette is the charming French word for tipsy, so we do need to mention the libations: Ricard, Lillet Blanc, Picon Bière and Normandy cider all get a look-in alongside a list of patriotically French wines – including a big selection from Alsace (the owner’s homeland).

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L White

18 June 2025

We were in Oxford to have our car serviced and needed to kill time until it was ready. How lucky we were to find Pompette. It is down a small rather unprepossessing street in Summertown which gives little clue as to how ...
We were in Oxford to have our car serviced and needed to kill time until it was ready. How lucky we were to find Pompette. It is down a small rather unprepossessing street in Summertown which gives little clue as to how very good the restaurant is. It was a hot day and large floor to ceiling windows were open on to a pleasant terrace fronting the road. Our welcome couldn’t have been warmer or kinder and despite not having booked we were give an excellent table by the window. There is a short a...
We were in Oxford to have our car serviced and needed to kill time until it was ready. How lucky we were to find Pompette. It is down a small rather unprepossessing street in Summertown which gives little clue as to how very good the restaurant is. It was a hot day and large floor to ceiling windows were open on to a pleasant terrace fronting the road. Our welcome couldn’t have been warmer or kinder and despite not having booked we were give an excellent table by the window. There is a short a la carte menu with extra dishes of the day put in the menu that morning and also a set lunch menu which we didn’t have but which looked very good and reasonably priced. I started with with vitello tonnato which was the best I’ve ever eaten, thin delicate slices of excellent veal, expertly cooked and dressed while my husband had fish soup with grated Gruyère, rouille and croutons which was also delicious. For my main course I had stream trout, again cooked to perfection with crushed jersey royals and a beurre blanc while my husband had rabbit leg with white beans in a tomato based sauce which he loved. Puddings were Basque cheesecake and apricots for him and Île flottante for me, both perfect. The wine list is well chosen and fairly priced. We opted for a carafe of their house white which was very good All three of the staff who served us were very professional but also had real warmth and friendliness and were clearly committed to our having the best possible experience. All around us, other customers appeared to be enjoying it as much as we were and despite not living anywhere near Oxford we will certainly go back just to eat at Pompette.
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J Horton

26 March 2025

Always love love love coming to Pompette. Exciting french dishes cooked to perfection delivered with friendly/efficient service. Tuesday lunch was packed with diners all enjoying the experience. The Good Food Members perk was just the cherry on the top.

VENUE DETAILS

7 South Parade
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX2 7JL GB

01865 311166

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OTHER INFORMATION

Private dining room, Separate bar, Wheelchair access, Parking, Family friendly

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